Areaway construction



H. T. KEYES AREAWAY CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed July 11, 1938 April "8, 1941.

JIL'HBL I v I l 1 l 1 l l l l l 1 l l l Snventor (Ittornegs PatentedApr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AREAWAY CONSTRUCTION Hugh T.Keyes, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 11, 1938, Serial No. 218,556

(01. iz-os 1 Claim.

The present invention relates, in general, to an improved ai'eaway unitfor the purpose of admitting and reflecting daylight into a sub-gradewindow in a basement wall, and particularly to improvements in pre-casttypes thereof.

In prior constructions of areaways a cavity has usually been formed inthe earth adjacent the sub-grade Window in order to admit air and lightthereto, and various constructions of masonry have been used heretoforeto maintain the cavity. The masonry heretofore used for this purpose hasbeen heavy and costly, therefore being difficult to install andrequiring a separate foundation therefor, and the unit has been subject:to settling relatively to the wall which supported it.

The principal object of this invention, theretone, is to provide apre-cast concrete areaway unit, preferably of reeniorced concreteconstruction or some other type thereof, which makes possiblestandardization of the construction of areawavs and which is ofcomparatively light weight, yet sturdy, so that it may be easilyinstall-ed, same being purely suspended from the building wall ratherthan requiring a separate supporting foundation.

Another object of the invention is to provide ,an areaway unit formed ofpre-cast reeniorced .masonry which is so shaped that it reflects a-.maximum amount of daylight into a basement through a sub-grade openingin the basement wall, said unit to be, preferably, coated or treatedwith a reflective material to aid such reflection.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a masonryareaway unit with a sim pie means for adjustabiy attaching the same to abasement wall adjacent a sub-grade opening therein, the unit beingdesigned whereby it is maintained in place by the adjacent soil but yetis supported substantial-1y solely by and from the building for which itis adapted. In this latter respect the unit design also takes intoconsideration freezing conditions and shape is such that danger of itbeing displaced by varying conditions of expansion and contraction inthe surrounding soil is avoided.

An equally important object herein is to provide a pre-cast areaway unitfor sub-grade use with a, novel protective grating which functions notonly to provide an upper flooring for said unit but also to provideprotection against fracture of the walls forming said unit, said wallsbeing necessarily thin, though strong, the grating thereby forming acombination grating and coping or curbing. Figure 1 is an elevation of aunit attached to a basement wall;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the unit;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the unit and basement wall;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unit, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grating.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designatecorresponding parts.

The present unit is formed, preferably, of reeniorced concrete ormasonry and comprises a horizontal bottom wall I having a drain 2therein and being adapted to rest initially in assembly upon temporarysupports 3, or upon a corbel, beneath a sub-grade opening 4 in abasement wall 5. As viewed in vertical section the outer wall 6 extendsupwardly and obliquely with respect to the wall I and has a vertical run1 adjacent the upper end thereof. The wall I and the wall portion .1 arecomparatively short, as may be seen, in Fig. 3. The side walls 8 divergeoutwlardly from the outer Wall 6 and have brackets 9 anchored theretonear the top thereof, same being provided with horizontal slots ID forthe adjustable reception of securing elements I I which are embedded inthe basement wall 5 adjacent the top of the opening 4. Slots l0 permitassembly of the unit into its proper position with respect to opening 4after sometimes inaccurate setting into wall 5 of elements ll. Conbel orsupports 3 function as a support for the unit only at the time of thelatter's installation, the unit thereafter being solely supported by theelements H.

A grating I 2 has a marginal member 13 with 2. depending lip l4 and isplaced over and upon the top of the areaway unit so that the lip Mdepends over and downwardly of the top edge of the unit to protect thesame and form a coping or curbing thereat. The grating has dependingstrap members l 5 secured to the walls 8 by fastening elements I 6.

It will be understood that, during assembly, the unit first rests uponthe supports 3 so that the elements I1 can be approximately located forproviding means whereby said unit is to be suspended from the wall 5 atthe brackets 53. Thereafter, the unit depends in no way upon supports ,3for support. In other word the securing elements III constitute the solemeans for securing the unit to the wall, the unit thereby beingsupported by pure suspension. In order to permit the unit to be attachedto the wall adjacent a sub-grade opening, such as shown at 4, it isnecessary to form a cavity in the surrounding earth, and, after the unitis initially sup- {ported and subsequently suspended, as abovedescribed, the earth is replaced in contact with the unit, the pressureexerted thereby tending to force the unit against the wall and therebypreventing displacement of same therefrom.

Th-e oblique disposition of the wall 6 and the angular or divergingrelationship of the walls 8 dispose the inner surfaces thereof in planeswhereby they function to reflect light from an overhead source throughthe opening 4. The inner surfaces of the walls 'I and 8 are covered witha reflective coating 11.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed it will be understood that various changes may be made withinthe scope of the appended claim Without departing from the spirit of theinvention and such changes are contemplated,

What I claim is:

An areaway unit for use in conjunction with a building wall having asub-grade window opening and comprising, a pre-cast concrete memberhaving integral side, rear and bottom sections of predeterminedthickness and defining a space therebe tween, said side and bottomsections defining 8115 their front edges an opening larger than saidsubgrade window opening, said front edge of said side sections abuttingsaid building wall at locations spaced laterally of and outside saidsubgrade window openings, a pair of brackets secured to portions of saidside sections above the midpoints of said vertical side sections andcoopenable under the force ofvthe weight of said member with anchoringmeans carried on the building wall laterally of the window opening forremovably holding said concrete member in abutting engagement with theouter face of the building Wall beyond the opposite edges of thesub-grade Window opening therein, a section of grating positioned oversaid horizontal wall in abutting engagement with the building wall andhaving a marginal flange overlappingly engaging the outer faces of saidside and rear sections. and a plurality of holders removablyinterconnecting said grating section and said side sections for holdingthe former in place with respect to the latter.

- HUGH T. KEYES.

